1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a portable thermal printer device, and more particularly to a portable thermal printer device which uses the heat-sensitive paper roll.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show the conventional portable thermal printer device 10. The thermal printer device 10 comprises a single printing portion 11, and a heat-sensitive paper roll hold portion 15 which is capable of holding a single heat-sensitive paper roll 20.
The printing portion 11 includes the thermal head 12 and the platen roller 13. The heat-sensitive paper roll hold portion 15 is covered with the rotatable open/close lid 16. The platen roller 13 is attached to the edge of the open/close lid 16 which closes the heat-sensitive paper roll hold portion 15.
By opening the lid 16, the heat-sensitive paper roll 20 is placed in the heat-sensitive paper roll hold portion 15. By pulling out the heat-sensitive paper 21 from the heat-sensitive paper roll 20 to the position exceeding the platen roller 13, and by closing the lid 16, the heat-sensitive paper 21 is pressed against the thermal head 12 with the platen roller 13, so that the portable thermal printer device 10 is in the usable state.
For example, such portable thermal printer devices are known from Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-235942 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-235957. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-048187 discloses a method and device for forming an intermittent cut line in order to prevent the disconnection of cutting-plane lines due to tearing of the sheet when the load to cut it is large.
The above-mentioned portable thermal printer device 10 may be used outdoors in the field of printing out the cut-form etc.
In the field of printing out the cut-form etc., the cut-forms of different kinds being printed out may vary depending on the customers, or the labels may be printed out instead of the cut-forms.
When the conventional portable thermal printer device 10 is used, the operator must carry the heat-sensitive paper rolls of some different kinds put into the pocket etc. and must replace the heat-sensitive paper roll in the portable thermal printer device 10 with another, which is separate from that of the portable thermal printer device 10, every time the cut-form being printed differs.
In order to replace the heat-sensitive paper roll, it is necessary that the lid 16 be opened, the heat-sensitive paper roll 20 be taken out, another heat-sensitive paper roll be taken out from the pocket, the new roll be placed in the heat-sensitive paper roll hold portion 15, the heat-sensitive paper be pulled out from the heat-sensitive paper roll to the position exceeding the platen roller 13, and the lid 16 be closed. Such operations are troublesome for the operator. Moreover, there is also the problem in that the operator must carry the heat-sensitive paper rolls of some different kinds.
Moreover, the thermal printer device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-235942 is configured to include the two printing portions and the two heat-sensitive paper roll hold portions, respectively. In this printer device, the problem that the operator must carry the heat-sensitive paper rolls of some different kinds will be reduced to some extent.
However, the size of the thermal printer device becomes large and the cost of the thermal printer device becomes high. If the size becomes large, it is difficult for the operator to carry the thermal printer device and operate the same.